Exothermic torches may be used by military, police, fire fighter and rescue personnel to remove metal barriers found in a variety of environments. For example, an exothermic torch may be used to remove or cut into a door that is locked in order to rescue someone injured inside the room. An exothermic torch produces extremely high temperatures using the device to then melt, burn or decimate the barrier. Use of such tools is expedient when other alternatives are infeasible or unavailable.
A torch uses oxygen to produce the thermal properties needed for exothermic cutting. Oxygen is supplied using an oxygen regulator and an oxygen hose attached to an oxygen cylinder. Conventional torch systems use a battery to ignite the cutting rod. These batteries usually need to supply a high amperage signal or a 12-volt/24-volt DC capability to ignite the torch, which may result in quicker breakdown on the cable.
Hoses suffering from overuse or damage may decrease the pressure needed for exothermic operations. Low pressure may cause the hose to burn from the inside and pose dangers to users. Further, a hose needs to remain unobstructed for proper use. Cables or rods that break down easily are not effective. Further, the delivery of oxygen needs to be continuous and kept at the appropriate pressure to prevent leaks and the like.
Conventional torching devices may use a magnesium core to fuel the burning of the rod. The magnesium core is hazardous to ship, and must be handled with caution. Special containers, instructions and the like accompany these devices. The ignition devices used also are inconvenient to ship and use. Conventional rods using magnesium materials ignite with pyrophoric igniters, which themselves may be hazardous materials. Because of the danger posed by these devices, a safety pin or other item is used to prevent ignition. The pin must be removed prior to use, which can be inconvenient. Further, the pin may come loose during shipping. If the pin is configured to be added before ignition, then this poses additional problems if the pin is missing.
Moreover, the magnesium core is sensitive to the environment, and degrades over time. The degradation produces dud cables or rods that will not ignite during torching operations. For example, if 1000 rods are shipped, then up to 25% of the rods end up as duds. The number of duds increases costs and possibly endangers personnel or others because the rods do not work.